Former two-time World Cup winner Yuvraj Singh has thrown his hat into the ring for India’s T20 World Cup squad selection, and his picks include some surprising names. The flamboyant all-rounder, who played a pivotal role in India’s 2007 and 2011 World Cup victory, revealed his preferences in a video shared by the ICC.
‘Would like to see DK in the mix’: Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj mentioned wanting Dinesh Karthik “in the mix” for the T20 World Cup squad, but with a key condition. The video shared by ICC captured Yuvraj acknowledging Karthik’s strong batting performance for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL. However, Yuvraj emphasized that Karthik’s selection should hinge on him having a guaranteed spot in the playing eleven.
“DK (Karthik) has been batting well. But the thing with DK is the last time (2022) they picked him and the T20 WC was on he didn’t get to play,” Yuvraj noted. “If DK is not in your XI I don’t think there is any point in picking him. I would like to see DK in the mix, but if he is not going to play then you would rather have someone who is younger and can make the difference.”
After a poor IPL 2023, Dinesh Karthik has been in wondrous form in IPL 2024. The veteran wicket-keeper has so far struck 262 runs at an immaculate strike rate of close to 200. The wicket-keeper option remains a heated topic of discussion for India as there are quite a few choices that Men in Blue could make.
Yuvraj backs the inclusion of Dube, but remains silent on Pandya
Nobody looked as easy on the eyes as Yuvraj Singh when he southpaw smashed sixes during his peak years. However, there have always been comparisons to Shivam Dube, who also boasts great striking power and can hit long distances, much like Yuvraj.
The left-arm all-rounder, has interestingly, backed Dube to get picked for India at the T20 World Cup. He described Dube as someone who can be a “game-changer,” suggesting that Dube’s ability to score runs quickly in the latter overs could be a decisive factor in close matches. This focus on explosive batting might explain the interesting omission of Hardik Pandya from Yuvraj’s discussion.
“I would like to see Shivam Dube in the squad,” Yuvraj said. “He has been in and out of the (India) team. But this IPL he has been batting very well and he is someone who can be the game-changer.”
New brand ambassador for T20 World Cup – Yuvraj Singh
Apart from his selection calls, Yuvraj Singh was also recently made the new official ambassador for the T20 World Cup. Yuvraj, who etched his name in World Cup history with his iconic six sixes in an over, expressed his excitement to be part of the mega event. He joins fellow great Chris Gayle and legendary sprinter Usain Bolt as the first ambassadors announced for the tournament.
